Pumpkin Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Happy Monday, guys! I have a treat for you. At least, I hope it’s a treat. Do you love homemade bread? I love homemade bread. Especially in the fall. Is there anything better than that yeasty, sweet smell filling the house as bread bakes on a cold day? I can’t think of much else that I love more, except the result: getting to enjoy slice after slice of that fresh, homemade bread. Mmm!

Cinnamon swirl bread has long been my favorite treat. When I was a little girl, it was a huge treat to buy a loaf of cinnamon swirl bread at the grocery store. As I got older, I experimented with making it myself. A few years ago I went through a phase of making it twice per month–a loaf a week. Those were the good ole days! BTW I can’t believe I haven’t shared my all-time favorite whole wheat cinnamon swirl bread recipe yet. Ooops! These days I don’t seem to make time for that, but this fall I know I’ll be making time to make batch after batch of this PUMPKIN cinnamon swirl bread! It’s soft and fluffy; the perfect project for a lazy weekend afternoon at home.

Ben and I have enjoyed this bread in many different ways–toasted with butter and pumpkin butter for breakfast, with a smear of peanut butter for a snack, and just plain sometimes too. But add butter–any kind–and you are in for a gigantic treat! 🙂 Next time I want to try this for french toast. Now THAT would be fancy. 🙂 I hope you get to try this bread soon. I know you’ll LOVE it as much as we did!

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add water and yeast. Whisk to combine. Stir in milk, eggs, pumpkin, oil, brown sugar, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. With the dough hook on the mixer, add in half of the bread flour and mix on low to combine, then add remaining bread flour. With mixer running, gradually add the all-purpose flour. Mix on low for 5 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic. Lightly spray a large bowl with cooking spray. Shape dough into a ball and place in bowl. Turn to coat, then cover with a tea towel. Let rise for about one hour, until doubled in size.

Punch down dough and transfer to a floured countertop. Divide dough in half, then roll in a 9×11 inch rectangle. Butter each rectangle with softened butter, leaving a 1/2 inch border on all sides. In a small bowl, stir together brown sugar and cinnamon, then sprinkle over butter. Roll up each rectangle into a log, starting with the short end. Pinch the long seam and the ends to seal the dough.

Grease two 9×5 inch loaf pans with cooking spray, then place dough in pans. Cover pans with tea towels, then set aside and let rise for 30-45 minutes, until dough has topped the edge of the pans.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. When dough has risen, bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown on top. If you insert a thermometer in the middle, temperature should read 190 degrees F. When tapped, dough should sound hollow. Cool completely before slicing. Enjoy!